The Missouri Tigers were picked to finish seventh in the SEC preseason men’s basketball poll. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Terrance Williams
Staff Writer
BIRMINGHAM, AL — The University of Missouri men’s basketball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2025-26 Southeastern Conference (SEC) preseason media poll, which was released earlier this week.
It was the highest preseason ranking for the team under head coach Dennis Gates. This comes after Missouri finished seventh in the conference last season and earned an NCAA Tournament bid.
In addition, senior forward Mark Mitchell was named to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team. Mitchell was a second-team All-SEC selection at the end of last season as well.
“I’m definitely excited with the progress of our season thus far since June 1, when we first got together,” Gates said at SEC Media Day on Monday. “Obviously, we’re at a phase now where you can get some KenPom rankings. For the first time since 2012-13, we have our highest ranking, which is a great accomplishment, but obviously something that’s due to our progression since being here in my fourth year now.
“And coaches poll, same way, one of our highest rankings since the 2017-18 season. Regardless of the rankings, you gotta go out and do the work. And our guys are going to continue to pride themselves and ourselves, this program, about going and doing the work. We gotta go earn what we want, and that’s obviously the opportunity to play in the national championship game.”
Mizzou senior Mark Mitchell was named to the SEC’s preseason 2nd Team All-Conference team. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Defending NCAA champion Florida was picked to win the SEC title this season, followed by Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas to round out the top five spots. Auburn came in just ahead of Mizzou at No. 6. The Tigers were seventh, followed by Ole Miss, Texas, Mississippi State, in slot Nos. 8, 9, and 10.
Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, and South Carolina were the teams that totaled the least points in the poll.
Mizzou will begin its season on November 3, when it travels to Washington, D.C. to play Howard University. The Tigers’ home opener will be November 7, when they’ll host Southeast Missouri State at Mizzou Arena.
2025-26 SEC PRESEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL POLL
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Tennessee
4. Alabama
5. Arkansas
6. Auburn
7. Missouri
8. Ole Miss
9. Texas
10. Mississippi State
11. Vanderbilt
12. Oklahoma
13. Texas A&M
14. Georgia
15. LSU
16. South Carolina
First Team All-SEC
Alex Condon – Florida
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
Otega Oweh – Kentucky
Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn
Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama
Second Team All-SEC
Nate Ament – Tennessee
Boogie Fland – Florida
Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Tennessee
Thomas Haugh – Florida
Mark Mitchell – Missouri
Third Team All-SEC
Malik Dia – Ole Miss
Aden Holloway – Alabama
Karter Knox – Arkansas
Jaland Lowe – Kentucky
D.J. Wagner – Arkansas
SEC Preseason Player of the Year
Otega Oweh – Kentucky
2025-26 MISSOURI TIGERS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 24, 2025 (Friday) | 9 pm | Home | Kansas State (Exhibition) | Mizzou Arena |  |
| November 3, 2025 (Monday) | 6 pm | Away | Howard | Washington, D.C. | |
| November 7, 2025 (Friday) | 7 pm | Home | Southeast Missouri | Mizzou Arena |  |
| November 9, 2025 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Home | VMI | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 12, 2025 (Wednesday) | 7 pm | Home | Minnesota | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 17, 2025 (Monday) | 7 pm | Home | Prairie View A&M | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 20, 2025 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | South Dakota | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 25, 2025 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Home | South Carolina State | Mizzou Arena | |
| November 28, 2025 (Friday) | 1 pm | Home | Cleveland State | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 2, 2025 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Away | Notre Dame | South Bend, Ind. |  |
| December 7, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Neutral | Kansas | Kansas City, Mo. / T-Mobile Center |  |
| December 11, 2025 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | Alabama State | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 14, 2025 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Home | Bethune-Cookman | Mizzou Arena | |
| December 22, 2025 (Monday) | 7 pm | Neutral | Illinois | St. Louis, Mo. / Enterprise Center |  |
| January 3, 2026 (Saturday) | 7:30 pm | Home | Florida | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 7, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. | |
| January 10, 2026 (Saturday) | 5 pm | Away | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. | |
| January 14, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Home | Auburn | Mizzou Arena | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| January 17, 2026 (Saturday) | 2:30 pm | Away | LSU | Baton Rouge, La. | |
| January 20, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Home | Georgia | Mizzou Arena | |
| January 24, 2026 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Home | Oklahoma | Mizzou Arena | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| January 27, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Away | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | |
| January 31, 2026 (Saturday) | 2:30 pm | Home | Mississippi State | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 7, 2026 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | South Carolina | Columbia, S.C. | |
| February 10, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Away | Texas A&M | College Station, Texas | |
| February 14, 2026 (Saturday) | 7:30 pm | Home | Texas | Mizzou Arena | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| February 17, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Home | Vanderbilt | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 21, 2026 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| February 24, 2026 (Tuesday) | 8 pm | Home | Tennessee | Mizzou Arena | |
| February 28, 2026 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | |
| March 3, 2026 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Oklahoma | Norman, Okla. | |
| March 7, 2026 (Saturday) | 11 am | Home | Arkansas | Mizzou Arena | ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU |